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Patented Sept. 11, 1888.

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PPG. 85.11'. s. PRINDLB. YDROSTATIC; SIGHT PBED LUBRIG'ATOR. l\Toj.,C-89, 5-28.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

FRANKLIN C. PRINDLE AND ROSCOEk S. PRINDLE, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW

JERSEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,528, dated September 11, 1888.

`Application filed May 10, 1887.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known th at we, FRANKLIN C. PRINDLE and RosooE S. PRINDLE, both of East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Iinprovenients in Hydrostatic Sight-Feed Lubricators; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawro ings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical central section of the lubricator on line x fr of Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a crosssection on line y y of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a crosssection through the condenser on line z z of Fig. l; Fig. 4, a cross-section through the neck of the lubricator and the sight-feed glass included therein in line a a of Fig. 1.

2o Our invention relates to that class of lubricators in which a displacement of the oil in the oil-cup is effected by means of water obtained from the condensation of steam above the cup and the oil is made to pass upward through water contained in a glass sight-tube,

and is delivered therefrom to the steam-passage, wherein it commingles with the steam and is carried therewith to the parts to be lubricated. Its obj ect is to obtain asimpler and 3o more compact and efficacious lubricating device at a less cost than those now commonly in use.

It consists in a novel organization of the lubricator, as hereinafter fully described.

,35 In the accompanying drawings, A represents the oil-cup, cylindrical in form and having a vertical recess, A', formed in its periphery, within which is fitted a vertical gageglass, B, which, being included within the 4o circle described by said periphery, is thereby protected, although fully in view. The glass cylinder for the gage B, is open at both ends. Its lower end rests upon a washer, 1, in an annular seat at the bottom of the recess A', and its upper end is confined by means of an annular or hollow plug screwing down thereon upon an interposed annularwasher, 2, through a threaded aperture in the portion of the top `plate of the oil-cup A, which overarehes the q5o recess A', thereby securing a tight joint at Serial No. 237,684. (Model.)

each end ofthe glass. The plug C is held in place and a tight joint secured by means of a lock-nut, D, which screws onto the projecting threaded end of the plug C.

Apertures or ducts, 3 4, are formed in the 55 wall of the oil cup to `communicate with the center of the annular seat at the bottom of the glass B and with the central aperture in the plug C, so that the upper and lower ends of the gage-glass communicate freely with the 6c interior of the oil-cup. A feed-opening for the oil-cup is made through the center of the plug C, and this feed-opening is closed by a stopple, C'. The neck or shank E ofthe lubricator is exteriorly threaded at its upper end to screw into a central opening in the `bottom of the oil-cup A, and when screwed into place is locked,I and a tight joint secured, by means of a lock-nut, E'.

A wide central slot or opening, F,(see Fig. 7o 4,) is cut transversely through the shank E, and is made long enough and wide enough to receive a cylindrical glass sight-tube, G, which is inserted into the transverse aperture through an interiorly-threaded central opening in the lower end of the shank. The .upper end of this sight-tube G fits against an annular seat at the upper end of the recess F, and a tight joint is secured by means of an interposed washer, 5. The glass sight-tube is held in 8o place by means of a screw-threaded plug or nut, H, made to screw into the central opening in the lower end of the shank and to follow up against thev tube, a tight joint being made between the nut and the glass tube by an interposed washer, G.

A lateral duct or conduit, 7, is formed longitudinally in the body ofthe shank E on one side of the transverse opening F, in which the sight-tube G is confined, to extend from the 9o upper end of the shank to a point opposite the nut H. A channel, 8, is formed through the nut H, to connect said duct 7 with the lower end of the sight-tube, whereby free communication is established between the sight-tube and the oil-cup, this channel of communication being made to open into the upper part of the oil-cup by means of a vertical tube, I, which is screwed into the mouth or upper end of the duct 7 to form an extension thereof. Icp

A threaded coupling, K, is fitted in the lower end of the shank, by means whereof it may be readily connected to any steam pipe or cylinder, as required.

A lateral steam supply duct-or conduit, 9, is formed longitudinally in the body of the shank E on the side of the opening for the sightfeed therein opposite to that in which the oil-feed duct 7 is formed, and is extended from a central recess in the upper end of the shank to a point at the lower end of the shank below the plug H, whereit communicates freely with the lower opening in the shank and its coupling K. A third discharge duct or conduit, 10, is formed in the shank parallel with the steam-supply conduit 9 and by the side thereof, to communicate at one end with the upper end of the annular seat, against which the upper end of the sight-tube G is fitted, and at the other with the lower end of the shank inside of the coupling K,

A condenser, L, consisting of a cylindrical vessel having a series of open vertical tubes, 1l 11, extending through it, is attached, by means of a neck, M, at its lower end, to the top of the oil-cup A, the connection of the two being formed by means of an internal thread ou the end of the neck M fitting and screwing upon a collar, N, on the oil-cup. The condenser L has also a collar, O, on its upper end, which, together with the neck M at the lower end thereof and the collar N ofthe oileup, is perforated with a central opening, so as to forni a continuous central passage from the oil-cup up through the top of the condenser. Within this passage is fitted a central tube, P, whose lower end screws into the central opening in the upper end of the shank E, which forms the mouth of the steam-supply duct 9, so that the tube P forms practically an upward extension of said duct or conduit, terminating just below the level of the top of the condenser. A second tube, It, is fitted to encircle concentrically the central tube, P, the difference in diameter of the two tubes being such as that a concentric open space is left between them. The lower end of the encircling tube 1t is made to rest upon an annular seat, 12, on the upper end of the shank E, and to form in connection therewith a Valve controlling communication between said concentric space and the bottom of the oil-cup. A third tube, 13, is loosely fitted around the tube R and wholly within the condenser, with its lower end resting upon the upper end of a collar, N, (reduced here to same thickness as said tube 13,) and its upper end resting against an internal shoulder or seat in the collar O, an annular packingwasher or grolnmet, 19 19', being interposed between the tube and its seat at each end to render the joints steam-tight. The ends of the tube 13 project into the interior ofthe neck M and collar O of the condenser far enough for it to serve the purpose of a double-ended gland for these two interior stuffing-boxes, as above described, and suitable pressure upon the packing-washers 19 and 19 is secured by screwing down the condenser-neck M over the oil-cup collar N.

The upper end of the tube or valve stem R is closed and is externally threaded and made to engage and extend through an internallythreaded opening in the collar O on the top of the condenser. lts outer solid end is provided with a hand-wheel, S, by means whereof the tube may be readily rotated, the engagement of its threads with the collar O serving, when it rotates, to raise or lower ils lower end from or to the annular valve-seat 12.

The outer periphery of the collar 0 is also threaded, and an annular cap, T, which is centrally perforated to allow the stem of the upper end of' the tube P to pass through it, is screwed down firmly upon the outer end of the collar. A lock-nut V is also tted upon said collar to work up against the cap. An annular plate, 14, having a spring-arm, 15, projecting therefrom and bent over to be nearly parallel with the face thereof', is interposed between the lock-nut V and the lower face of the cap T, so that the spring-arm shall project over the cap and under the hand-wheel S to engage a lug or notch, 16, thereon. This lug 16 operates, in connection with the springarm, as a stop and catch to determine the extent to which the Valve tubeRshall be turned to give a proper feed-opening at itslower end and to retain it in position, the proper relative position of the arm and lug being first adjusted by loosening the lock-nut V, so that the disk 14, carrying lthe arm, shall be free to turn with the lug and wheel, and when the proper opening for the valve is determined locking the nut V,so as to fix the disk and arm. The tube may -then be turned to close the valve and the valve be readily opened again to the proper extent, without need of special care, by simply turning` the wheel S until the arm 15 engages with the lug 1G.

Lateral openings 20 21 are pierced through the tubes R and 13 on a level with both the top and bottom of the condenser L, to com municate with the interior thereof.

The oil-cup A may be provided with a discharge-opening, 17, in the bottom thereof, to be closed in the customary manner by a valve at the lower end of a vertical rod, 18, which is lnade to work through a threaded opening in the top of the cup, or with other suitable devices for emptying the oilcup of the water of condensation.

An air-vent screw, 22, is fitted to close a duet through the top of the tube R for the release of' any confined air which may accumulate from time to time in the condenser. In the use of the lubricat-or the steam, as shown by the arrows, entering through the coupling K, will pass up freely through the duct 9 into the fixed central tube, P, and out through its upper end into the tube R, and thence through the opening 20 into the condenser L. The tubular construction of the condenser will cause the steam to rapidly condense therein,

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siasas 3 and thewater of condensation will flow through the openings 2l into the concentric space between the tubes P and R, so as to fill the same, and will then till the condenser also until there shall be no steam-space left therein. If, now, the tube R be turned so as to lift its lower end more or less from its seat, the water supplied to the space between the tubes will iow into the bottom of the oil-cup A, under the oil therein, and will cause the oil to overflow through the tube I. The overiiowing oil, passing down through the tube I and ducts 7 and 8, will enter the bottomof the sghttube G and pass up through it and the water of condensation contained therein drop by drop, and thence down through the duct l() to the steam-pipe, where it will be more or less vaporized by the hot steam and taken up and carried with it to the cylinder and other parts to be lubricated. The hydrostatic pressure of the column of water and of oil reaching from the upper part of the condenser L to the bottom ofthe sight-tube G so far counterbalances the steam-pressure exerted on the opposite ends of the column that it produces a certain positive feed of the oil through the sighttube and its discharge into the steamsupply pipe at such rate as the opening of the valve-tube R may permit, the discharge of oil being controlled by the discharge of condensed water, which may be permitted through the opening between the bottom of said tube and its seat, the opening being governed by means of the handwheel S on the upper end of the tube, in manner as described. When the engine is not at work, or it is desired for other reasons to cut off entirely the oil-supply, the valve R is closed by means of the wheel S, and when it is desired to open the valve it may be opened-to the extent previously determined upon by turning the Wheel until it is arrested by the arm 15, previously adj usted to serve as a stop and catch for this purpose.

We claim as our invention- 1. The combination,with an oilcup, a steamcondensing chamber above the oil-cup, a central steam-sup ply pipe extending up through the oil-cup and opening in the upper part of the condenser, and an oil-delivery duct leading from the upper part of the oil-cup to the steam-supply pipe below it, of a longitudinally-moving tube encircling thesteam-supply pipe within the oil-cup and condenser, so as to leave a concentric passage between them, and whose lower end tits upon a seat at the bottom ofthe oilcup to control communication between the oil-cup and said concentric passage, and through it, by means of suitable openings, with both lower and upper ends of the condenser, said tube being made to pass with steam-tight joints through the neck-coupling, the oil-cup, and condenser, and out through the top of the condenser, all substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination of a closed oil-cup, A, adapted to be connected to the engine to be lubricated, a condenser, L, placed above the same to communicate therewith, a steam-supply pipe, P, from the engine communicating with said condenser, and a series of condensing-tubes, l1 11 11, extending through the condenser and open to the air, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth. I

3. The combination,with ashanl ,E,adapted to be connected tothe engine to be lubricated, of a closed oil-cup, A, tted upon said shank, a condenser, L, fitted above the oil-cup and communicating therewith,asteam-supply pipe or conduit extending through the shank and communicating with the condenser, a glass sight tube fitted within an opening in the shank and communicating through its upper end with the source of steam-supply in the lower end of the shank, and a pipe or conduit extending from the upper end of the oil-cup through the shank to the bottom of the sighttube, all substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

4.. The combination, in a lubricator, of a 'closed oil-cup, A, adapted to communicate from its upper part with the pipes or passages of a steam-engine, a condenser, L, tted upon said oil-cup, a central tube, 13, fitted within the condenser and forming, in connection with collar O of the oilcup, an open cylindrical passage to extend from the oil-chamber out through the condenser, an inner tube, R,closed at its upper outer` end, open at its lower end, and fitted closely within the central cylindrical passage in the condenser to have longitudinal play therein, and which, resting upon an annular valve seat at the bottom of the oilcup, extends thence to the upper outer end of the condenser, and a steam-pipe, P, projecting up centrally through said valve-seat and the central cylindrical passage in the condenser to a point near the top of the condenser, leaving a concentric space between the steam-pipe and the valve-tube to communicate through suitable openings with the top and bottom of the condenser, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

5. In a hydrostatic-column lubricator, the combination, with its oil-cup A, of a steamsupply pipe,P, extending up centrally through the cup and above the same, a larger longitudinally-moving tube, R, closed at its upper end and inverted over the s teampipe to form a concentric space or chamber about the same, and a condenser, L, formed with a central cylindrical opening to receive and closely encircle the outer movable tube, and which is fitted to the oil-cup with a tightjoint, through which said tube projects, the concentric space between the tube and steam-pipe being made to communicate with the top and bottom of the condenser through openings in the central tube I3 of the condenser and in the movable tube It, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

6. A sight-feed lubricator having a single shank or stem for attachment to the engine to IOO IIO

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be lubricated, and combining in its construction the following elements, Viz: an oil-eup above the shank, a condenser above the oilcup, a sight-feed glass in the shank, an oilpussage from the top of the oil-cup to the bottorn of the fcedglass and from the upper end of the feed-glass to the lower end of the shank, u steam-passage leading through the shank and through a central pipe inthe oil-cup to a point near the top of' the condenser1 a concentric chamber encircling said central pipe formed by :in adjustable tube closed at the top and inverted over the end of the steam-pipe to rest upon an annular seat on the bottoni of FRANKLIN C. PRINDLE. ROSCOE S. PRINDLE.

Witnesses:

A.. N. JESBnnA, M. E. FINLEY, 

